Looking back on our Journey from buying our Motorhome on eBay and having to tell hubby afterwards, to supporting our oldest two sons while they entered the Navy, to travelling without our Motorhome but still seeing more of Australia in our Campervan to now letting David follow his dream while I am working towards mine. I thought I would update you all on what we are now doing with Reflections on New Life on the Road {and reflections on our journey}.
Also its to answer some questions that are coming in, instead of trying to explain myself over and over again I thought if you are keen to know what is going on with our family then hey you can take the time to stop here at our blog and read a bit! So grab a cuppa of coffee or tea {or Red Wine}, sit back and let me explain….
Yes we still have no fixed address – our Motorhome is and will always be our home on wheels. Okay so we are renting a fully furnished apartment with the most amazing views, but its only for a six month period {its a Holiday Unit and when the busy time of the year comes around we will need to leave} so we are hoping our Motorhome engine parts can be fixed in time.
Yes we all still love to travel – we even crossed off a Bucket List with a Climb up Mt Coolum on Sunday. Oh my gosh there are some very fit people out there – they were going up and down TWICE within 45 minutes. We took about 40 minutes to get up and 20 minutes to get down – hey it was very steep!
Davids Dream ::
David has always wanted to be part of a Team – a team that he was proud to have his name associated with – building Caravans. He can build a Boat no worries, and he can repair/Build caravans in his sleep…but he is a perfectionist and his dream is always to say “Yep, I helped to build that Caravan” instead of saying “Oh I helped build that caravan but I wouldn’t want anyone to know”.
You see he is working for the Best Bosses in Australia – who trust him and trust his skills to get the job down the right way.
And he helped a team to build two caravans for the Nambour Caravan Show – they have the best feed back on the two vans and have sold one already, with many more to come. And if his second one turned out better than the first one, imagine what the third one is going to look like?
Yes I still think that he is WAY too hard on himself, cause the first and the second caravans ROCK. Yeah the Perfectionist is always looking at ways to make something even more perfect then it already is!
The beauty of his current position on the Sunshine Coast is that he can take time off when he wants {his on casual wages}, his boss trust him to help build top notch Caravans, and he can leave when we are ready to leave….mind you the bosses are already pleading with him not to leave! Like seriously pleading with him to stay for ever but I think this stepping stone {job} is going to lead into something that will really help him follow his true dreams.
One Of My Dreams ::
Now that we are here on the Sunshine Coast, I am finally {for the very first time} chasing one of my dreams….studying to 2.00 am some mornings, studying all day long, taking my books to the beach while my boys are fishing and even watching DVD’s over and over to the information is kinda sinking in. I am keeping my dream a secret for the time being, but as soon as I am qualified you all will know.
And as a wife to David I am ready to support him in any way that he needs, and he is one amazing guy cause he is supporting me in every which way possible. This year 2015 we are both letting each other grow, follow our own dreams but still stay as a strong couple who are happy.
Oh did I mention how amazing his bosses are with letting our two boys go to work last Saturday and Sunday with David while I was in Brisbane with my study’s? You see he had to work about 37 hours over time {yep in one week} to get the two Caravans ready for the show, and I had to be in Brisbane. His team built one Caravan in Five weeks. Nuts I know!
So very grateful that our boys were kind enough to Dad over the weekend and waited patiently all weekend while he worked -mind you I wasn’t very grateful when I learned they used 3GB of my internet on the Saturday – we only have 15 GB per month!!!
Our Motorhome ::
So we might not have our cursed beloved Motorhome with us but we do have our trusty Campervan. Oh gosh the joys we have had with that Vehicle – we have pulled up in Car parks all over the place and all four of us have crashed for the night, waking up in the morning to have a very quick shower and hit the road for more adventures. I so could easily go camping anywhere anytime in our Campervan!
And to think that our Campervan cost less than $1,000.00 – is that trashed that we don’t have to worry about our boys trashing it more yet still keeps on going!
Our Dreams Still The Same ::
We still have dreams and they will never go away -we will always want to travel. Do we travel in our Motorhome? We are not sure what to do….we are not sure if we should sell it or keep it and repair the engine {again} or buy a Newer Bus and fit to our own needs/taste instead of renovating one that is already converted.
Our Fuel Injector Pump is being tested and repaired- David took it to a guy here on the Sunshine Coast Friday morning, who loves Bedfords and reckons it will be an easy fix!
And he is also rebuilding the Injector Lines. Soon as we can David will fly down to our Storage Unit in Sydney and drive our old girl back up here. Even if we do keep it on a Block of Land as a Holiday Base I will be so happy to have it closer to us.
We have looked at Caravans – our boys are so long in the legs {well at least Kyle is} that the bunkbeds in a Caravan wouldn’t work out too well.
Oh and I really love the idea of bigger Bus with storage bins, enough bunk beds for when our older boys want to join us sometime and the engine in the back – I love the sound of the Bedford Bus but its very loud and hot inside.
Oh and I so want a Normal Toilet – not a Porta-Potti. A bath tub would be nice, and David would love an oven. Maybe we should start with another Bus and video the steps as we go? That way our Journey will be shared with you all and David can share his Building Skills??
Or do we travel with our old girl? Lots of questions that keep going round and round – they will soon be answered.
Reflections On Our Travels ::
We love free camping, some of the best times we have had is with our Campervan, Tents and the beach or the bush. We will always be “on the road to somewhere” – but it will be in our time. In our way. So yes you might think what ever thoughts you want about our way of living, but hey we travel our way.
We see Australia slowly but gee do we explore the area more then we ever thought possible. We flog the area as much as possible, we go off the beaten track and take roads where we are not sure our Campervan is going to cope. But gee do we create great memories and fun times. And we see as much as possible. Some locals will listen to the Places we have been to, and have to ask us “Where exactly is that, cause we haven’t heard of it. We haven’t seen it”
Our boys have so many wonderful “Favorites” to reflect back on, and for that I am so grateful. Actually I wouldn’t change my life for anything – looking back on the decision to buy a Motorhome on eBay was probably one of the smartest things I have ever done.
We get told we “need to settle down in a House” and give our “Boys a Normal Life” and sorry but that doesn’t make any of us happy. Living in an apartment is good – we don’t have lawns to mow, and nothing to maintain – if something breaks its not our issue. Yes I have way too much cleaning to do – but hey its not forever.
We are “not normal” and don’t fit in the square box. We might disappoint our family {on both of our sides} but this is our life and being happy is important to us. They say a “Happy Mum makes a Happy Family” – well it goes both ways – Dads and children have to be happy too.
Kyle is missing his bunk bed – most nights he is sleeping on the “Floor” – under sheets that he has put up as a”Tent” cause he doesn’t like his bed/bedroom. And he misses his Bunkbed in the Bus.
A bigger Bus would mean that we could make Bunkbeds that can fit an normal size mattress and one he won’t outgrow anytime soon.
Discovering New Places ::
Being on the Sunshine Coast was a bit of a disappointment to us because we have lived here before, and we have explored a lot of it before, but we are seeing it in a New Way – with GEOcaching! What a great way to discover parks, islands, and the area with searching for caches. And its a great way to explore the area while both David and I fulfill our dreams!
His dream job is going to lead to him following his true passion – not sure how or when but I can feel it! Reflections on what he has done before, to what is possible for the future is exciting. I reckon he doesn’t even realise his own potential.
The end of my studies means that we can travel Australia forever and ever. With the means to make the dream possible – watch out for more soon!
Please Stay ::
Saying thanking you to those that have stayed, and those that have stayed connected to us on our Facebook Page. Please stay for those that are still here! We lost a Lot of “Likes on Facebook” because we don’t have our Motorhome, but that doesn’t define who we are – we are David and Lisa – parents to five boys who travel Australia our way!
Does The Reflections Answer Your Questions?
If not then please leave them here and I will get back to you…..
Cheers
Lisa
New Life on the Road.
Hey Lisa it was good to hear what you have all been up to. Good luck with the studies and I hope everything turns out well for you. Can’t wait to hear all about it. The Afternoon Reflections photographs is fantastic.
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